Is A Soft Or Hard Mattress Better For Back Pain

Big Fig Mattress $3999 $1899

The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 2,773 reviews on and Big Figs review testimonials

Highlights: Supports 550 lbs per sleeper , 20 year warranty, 120 night trial, ThermoGel Cooling Technology

Non-inclusive sizing doesnt just pertain to fashion, it also reveals itself in the mattress industry. The Big Fig Mattress aims to solve that problem with its three layers of high density poly-foam and 1,600 wrapped coils that prevent common sagging as well as combat back pain.

In one on site blog post, a reviewer referred to this pad as the love child between The Rock and Burt Reynolds meaning, after a week of rest it didnt sag, it hadnt dropped, and still felt comfortably supported. She also mentioned, My Big Fig Mattress makes for the best bed I have ever slept in to this day. When Im away from it? I miss it. When I come back home to it? Im a happy camper. After a few years of regularly sleeping on my mattress I can report with confidence, that the integrity of the bed is still there. Other well-rested customers gave props to the mattresses back-pain healing abilities. My husband played football and is a teacher, so he is on his feet a lot and has old injuries that can flare up from time to time, wrote reviewer Mindy Scott in a blog post on the brands website. With the support of our new Big Fig, he has been having less back issues and I am so impressed! The targeted support is truly what sold us, she added.

The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 585 reviews on Casper

Why Your Mattress Is Causing You Pain

Youve confirmed that your mattress is the source of your frequent back pain, and you want to know why its causing you so much pain? Here are six reasons why your mattress may be causing you back pain and how to prevent it.

1. You are using the wrong mattress.

For each type of sleeper, there exist different types of mattresses that suit them best. When you pick a mattress without any care for the way you sleep or your weight and other vital determinants, you sleep to wake up with aches. The right mattresses make sleeping less stressful as they are built to accommodate your body and weight. As a side sleeper, you should be picking a foam that wont give way easily and can support your body. As a back sleeper, pick a mattress that supports and cushions your body.

From the way you sleep to how much you sleep, how much you weigh, and how much time you spend in your bed, consider it all and use it to determine the type of mattress that will help you sleep better. Sleeping without having to wake up to anybodys ache is the goal, work towards it. Heres the perfect guide on how to choose a mattress.

2. You are using the wrong pillow.

You mustnt just buy a pillow without adequately understanding the type of filling it has. Also, know the best type of pillow for your type of sleeper. Thick pillows are suitable for back sleepers, while thin pillows are good for stomach sleepers. Pick a good mattress and use a good pillow if you want to sleep well at night.

4. Your mattress is old.

Is A Firm Mattress Better For Your Back

Is a firm mattress better for your back? This is a question we hear often from a lot of sleepers who struggle with back pain. The short answer: it depends on your personal needs and there is a difference between a firm feel and a supportive mattress. In general, individuals who struggle with back pain after getting out of bed are suffering because their spine isnt getting enough support from their mattress.

Factors such as your preferred sleeping position, weight, and feel preference all contribute to the type of mattress you need. For example, depending on your weight and sleeping position, a firmer mattress might do a great job of distributing your weight evenly across the mattress OR it might create discomfort for the neck, shoulders, and pelvic, which can lead to lower back pain.

In short, sleeping on a hard bed doesnt necessarily equate to support. But dont worry. Texas Mattress Makers is here to help you find a mattress that will provide optimal support and comfort for your personal sleep needs.

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Cons Of A Firm Mattresses

The switch from a soft mattress to a firm one can be an initial shock for some, and a firmer mattress can aggravate pre-existing issues such as arthritis and scoliosis. Side sleepers, especially those at a lighter weight, may find that firm mattresses dont provide enough contouring, resulting in hip and shoulder pain.

Additional Sleeping Accessories For Sleepers With Back Pain

Besides a mattress, other accessories can play a part in making your bed conducive to quality, pain-free sleep. Upgrading your pillows and your bed base can be done as a lower-cost way of improving your sleeping surface, or you can purchase these along with a new mattress as part of a complete overhaul.

Pillows

Pillows play an important role in preventing and reducing back and neck pain. Pillows that provide proper support to the neck can improve spinal alignment because the spine extends into the neck . In addition to supporting the head, pillows can be strategically placed to provide cushioning and comfort to other parts of the body.

Numerous factors affect which pillow can best help any individual fight neck and back pain. The amount of loft of your pillow should fit your personal preference and body shape. The right loft level is also largely determined by the firmness of your mattress and your sleeping position, as outlined in the following tables.

To reduce back pain, pillows can be used to support other parts of the body besides just the head and neck.

Bed Platforms and Bases

The base of the bed can contribute to a supportive overall sleeping surface for people with back pain.

Some people opt for an adjustable bed, which allows for the upper and lower body to be raised at various angles. Many adjustable bed frames also include a heat or massage feature that can be a nice bonus for back pain sufferers.

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Try A Mattress Topper That Can Provide Pressure Relief

If you sleep on your side, a memory foam mattress pad conforms to your body to allow your shoulders to sink in while keeping your spine aligned. Back sleepers can also benefit from a reasonable foam mattress pad because it conforms to your lower back.

Just be sure youre not only getting the right one, but youre also using your mattress topper properly.

Can A Bad Mattress Cause Body Aches Get All The Facts

The study says that a bad mattress can cause body aches and back pain due to its lack of support, incapable of holding your spine, back, hip, and other joints perfectly, over sinking & sagging, etc. A bad quality mattress can also cause body pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, stomach pain, chest pain, lower back pain, leg pain, foot pain, joint pain, hip pain, side pain, arm pain, neck pain, sciatica pain, tiredness, stiffness, etc. Read the full article to learn more about bad mattresses.

Having enough sleep is beneficial from the health point of view. A person spends significant time in bed. In fact, if you do your math well, you find that an average, sleep takes a third of all time in human life. To have sufficient sleep, one needs to have excellent bedding, especially mattress and pillows. It is not once or twice that people wake up with aching bodies. But, the majority doesnt have the answer to why they wake up tired and having body pain. This leads us to one of the questions that people do ask can a bad mattress cause body ache?

Well, there are doubts that the bad mattress usually causes body pain. However, what contributes these pains differs from one sleeper to another. What might sound a bad mattress to an average sleeper might turn to be the best for the heavy sleeper and vice versa. Therefore, what is essential is to know your mattress category.

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Advantages Of A Soft Mattress

When you rest on a mattress, there is usually some space between your body and the surface of the bed. For some sleepers, this open space can leave certain areas of the body unsupported. On a soft mattress, the material quickly forms to the body like a glove, ensuring that every curve is protected. A soft bed comes with the following advantages.

Whats The Difference Between A Firm And Soft Mattress

When shopping for a new mattress, you have likely noticed that each one comes with a firmness level. But, how is this level determined? Many brands rely on a standard firmness scale from 1 to 10with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. Firm and soft mattresses are at opposite ends of this scale. That said, youll rarely find mattresses rated as a 10 or a 1 because those are extremely firm and extremely soft beds that arent commonly made.

A firm mattress rates between a 9 and a 7 on the firmness scale. These beds have very little give, so the surface tends to remain even and allows for little sinking.

A soft mattress rates between a 2 and a 3 on the firmness scale. These beds compress quickly and easier when pressure is applied. Most sleepers experience some level of sinking when resting on a soft bed.

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Mattress For Back Pain Relief Recommendations For 2022 And Buying Guide

It is important to take these factors into consideration before you buy your first mattress for back pain relief.

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Drawbacks Of A Soft Mattress

Soft mattresses often promote sinking. However, if certain parts of the body fall too far, the spines natural curve could become exaggerated. Therefore, it is best to look for a soft bed with a response layer that gives the body a slight lift, so the spine remains neutral.

Since soft beds contour so closely to the body, they can also cause overheating. When shopping for a soft mattress, be sure to select one with cooling properties, such as breathable, plant-based foam, cooling gel microbeads, or copper infusions.

How Do I Know If My Mattress Is Too Firm

If you are a side sleeper, look for the following signs to determine if your mattress is too firm.

• You experience pain and stiffness near pressure points, such as your hips and shoulders.
• Your arms quickly fall asleep with little pressure.
• You frequently wake with back pain due to a misaligned spine.

Back sleepers tend to benefit from a firmer mattress. However, if you can place a hand between the lumbar and the mattress, you may want a bed with a bit more softness, such as a medium-firm bed.

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So Which Mattresses Are Better For Back Pain

To get relief from the pain, and to help the back heal and become healthy again, it is important to choose one of the following types of mattresses

• Medium-firm mattress there is still firmness to the mattress, but the density does not interfere with the spine, lower back, and other pressure points.Moreover, the mattress provides support where its needed, and comfort for other body parts. A medium-firm mattress is not too soft and not too firm, so when buying a mattress make sure to point out that you want a medium-firm density mattress.
• Latex mattress high-quality latex mattresses are known to be excellent for alleviating back pain. These mattresses also help with chronic back pain by conforming to the bodys natural curves.Latex mattresses are firm enough to provide the necessary support dor bodys pressure points while being soft enough to conform to the curves and contour of the body.
• Gel memory foam mattress this is relatively new material on the market, but it has been praised for its ability to create a great mattress.Gel memory foam mattresses are known to conform to the body perfectly and help reduce pressure from the bodys pressure points, especially the lower back and hips.Such mattresses also ensure proper spinal alignment and even though they show indentation, they still support the body and follow its natural curves and weight.

Recommendation: Need a mattress that can adjust firmness scale based on your needs? check Best Adjustable Air Mattress in 2021

Hard Mattress Vs Soft Mattress

Some say a hard mattress is better than a soft mattress, some say a soft mattress is better, and some say whichever type of mattress you are comfortable with is the right one for you.

Nevertheless, it is now believed that a its not only the firmness of the mattress but its ability to support the right parts of your body correctly. Proper alignment is critical to prevention of tossing and turning which leads to sleep disruption. We put together a special web class that goes deeper into this

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Suitable For Back And Stomach Sleepers

When resting on the back, the hips and buttocks tend to sink. If the mattress is too soft, these areas may sink excessivelyresulting in a misaligned spine and tense muscles. Back sleepers tend to sleep best on a firmer bed that will prevent sinking and keep the hips in line with the shoulders and head. When the spine is neutral, the body can fully relax and repair.

Our spines naturally curve, but when sleeping the stomach, this curve can become exaggerated. Over time, the pressure this position places on the back and neck can lead to chronic pain. In most cases, it is best to avoid stomach sleeping. However, if you find it difficult to avoid this position, the best mattresses for stomach sleeping are firmer. A firm bed will keep the hips lifted to reduce the pressure on the spine.

How Does Sciatica Affect Sleep

The sciatic nerves originate in the lower back and run through the buttocks, back of the legs, and soles of the feet down to the toes. Sciatica is the result of a problem with the sciatic nerves, most often a pinched or irritated nerve caused by a herniated disc. Risk factors for sciatica include poor posture, injury, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, arthritis, or bone spurs.

Sciatica is often described as a radiating pain that starts in the lower back and travels down the back of the legs and sometimes the feet. It can present as numbness, tingling, throbbing, heat, inflammation, sharp pain, aching, or even muscle spasms in the areas affected by the sciatic nerve. These symptoms can be mild or severe, acute or chronic, and they often occur only on one side of the body. Patients may find some relief with anti-inflammatory drugs or by applying ice, but for severe cases, surgery is sometimes required.

Many people with sciatica find it difficult to find a comfortable sleep position. Lying down can put pressure on the hips and lumbar area, leading many people to experience flare-ups when trying to sleep or upon waking up after lying in the same position all night. People with sciatica require a mattress that can distribute body weight and support the lower back in order to help take pressure off the sciatic nerves.

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Vesgantti Upgraded Comfort Hybrid Mattress

Best for side sleepers

The Vesgantti Upgraded Comfort Hybrid Mattress is another CertiPUR-US-certified option that offers buyers a 100-night trial. This can allow a person time to determine whether the mattress improves their sciatica symptoms.

It is also an affordable option.

This mattress is constructed with 11-inch pocket springs that are individually wrapped, along with supportive memory foam that is great for people who like to sleep on their side.

The responsive nature of both the pocket springs and foam means the mattress conforms to the position of the body as it changes during the night, keeping pressure off of potentially painful areas, such as the hips.